


Run Away With Me

by pinecovewoods



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M, all the translations are in the notes at the end, and speaks italian, sooo race is from jersey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 06:08:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16867558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinecovewoods/pseuds/pinecovewoods
Summary: basically i have this headcanon that Race is from New Jersey and left to escape his family and then this happened





	Run Away With Me

**Author's Note:**

> all the translations are at the end, but most of them you can understand with context.

She's eight when Antonio Higgins first utters the soon-to-be infamous words. 

They're perched under the stars, like they do at least four times a week, her head on his shoulder as they sit on the roof of their apartment building.

"Run away with me."

She can't stop the laughter that escapes her lips, shaking her head.

"We're seven years old, Tony," she whispers, "we can't run away. We have no money."

He hums, like that's the answer he was expecting, and brings her closer into his side.

"Yeah, I know," he says, "I jus'...I wanna go to New York, probably Brooklyn. Get a better life, ya know?"

"You think there's a better life waitin' in New York?"

The boy's quiet for a few moments, eyes glistening under the stars. 

"I dunno, maybe," he finally says, "but what if we get the money 'n stuff?"

"Maybe when we're older."

She's ten when he asks her again. 

He shows up outside her window, fist full of a few dollars and a budding bruise on his jaw. The words leave his lips as soon as she opens the window.

"Run away with me."

She pulls him into her room, pushing back his curls as he collapses on her floor.

"Jesus, what happened to you?" She questions softly. "Who did this?"

"He's drunk," the boy whispers, "he's never...it's the first time he's done it."

"Your dad?" She asks, face falling as he nods. "Oh, Tonio."

"It's okay," he says, "I think I just got freaked out. He said he was sorry right after, and people get aggressive when they're drunk, so."

"Tony..."

"No, no," he shakes his head, "it's fine, really. I uh," he holds up the few dollars, "I brought some more cash, for the fund."

She tries to muster up a smile, pulling the half full mason jar out from under her bed. She unscrews the top, letting Tony put the money in before putting the jar back.

"Almost there," he whispers, "almost out."

She brings her hand up to his face, trying to keep from staring at the bruise forming on his jawline.

"Tony," she swallows, "this ain't right. He shouldn't hit you. Doesn't matter if he's drunk or not. It's not okay."

"I know, I know," the boy whispers, "but he said he was sorry. I don't think he'll do it again."

"If you say so," she replies, "you wanna stay here? Or are you okay to go back home?"

"He's probably asleep by now, I think I'll be okay," he replies, "I'll see you's tomorrow."

He presses a kiss to her forehead, just like he does every time he leaves, and climbs back out of the window.

She's become accustomed to Tony opening her window at all hours and sliding into bed next to her. He'd be gone by the time she woke up, the only trace being an empty space next to her and a half open window.

She started saving more than usual, swiping every penny she can from her own basically absent parents and stuffing them in the jar under her bed. 

She's thirteen when finally tells him yes. 

It's late when he comes in, sliding the window open and slipping in between the covers. She wakes up as he does, turning over so she faces him. Even in the dark, she can see the tears in his eyes.

"Run away with me?"

It's a different tone than usual, the longing and wonder replaced with tension and fear.

"We don't have enough for the both of us to get to Brooklyn" she responds, leaning down and picking up the jar, "you should go."

Tony sits up, eyebrows furrowing.

"What? No," he shakes his head, "not without you."

"Don't think I haven't seen the bruises," she whispers, "he's still hitting you, isn't he?"

Tony's silent for a few moments, staring down at the jar in her hands.

"Yeah," he replies, "he used to just do it when he was drunk but...I guess his company is going through budget cuts or something, he got his pay cut. Took it out on me."

As he speaks he lifts the hem of his shirt, revealing the splattered bruises and cuts lining his torso.

" _Dio mio_ , Antonio," she breaths, climbing into his lap after he opens his arms, "this...this is why you should go. You can't stay there. It's not safe."

Tony lets out a shaky breath, placing his chin on her head as he squeezes his eyes shut.

"I don't want to leave you," he whispers, "you're the only good thing in my life, Y/N, I can't leave you."

"You can't stay here either," she says, "not in that house. Not if he's hurting you."

Tony looks at the jar, gears turning in his head.

"We've got enough for the two of us to get to Manhattan," he whispers, " _vieni con me, per favore_. I can't...I can't to do this without you."

She's quiet, rubbing her thumb over his hand as she thinks.

"Guess Manhattan just gained two more residents," she finally says.

The smile that spreads across Tony's face shouldn't be there for two teenage kids running away from the only place they've ever known, and yet, there it was.

They leave that morning, Tony having had his bag packed for a few weeks and Y/N quickly packing her own with as little noise as possible.

They practically skip down the sidewalk, hand in hand as they make their way to the ferry. The captain of the ferry doesn't give them a second glance once they hand him the money, Tony immediately leaning against the railing. She comes up behind him, leaning her head on his shoulder as they both stare at the Manhattan skyline in the distance.

"I know I said I wanted to go to Brooklyn," he says, "but I have this feeling that Manhattan is the best place for us. I think we can find home there."

"Anywhere I am with you is home."

" _Gesù_ ," Tony laughs, shaking his head, "you're too good to me."

She gives a light laugh in response, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.

"You think we'll be happy there?" She asks after a while, eyes fixed on Manhattan. 

"More happy than we were back there," Tony whispers, "thanks for getting me out of there, really. Significa molto per me. You mean a lot to me."

" _Ti amo, Antonio_."

" _Ti amo anch'io_."

Three years later and Manhattan is now home. Tony's been dubbed 'Racetrack' by the others, originating from the fact that they ran away and only solidified by his incessant selling at Sheepshead Races. 

"Hey darlin'," he says, leaning against the door frame, "mind if I's stay with you's tonight? It's ah," he swallows, folding his arms over his chest, "it's been bad the past couple nights, so."

"Course you can," she says, "you always can, Race, you know that."

" _Grazie_ ," he speaks softly, climbing into the cot next to her, "you's keep me sane, you knows that?"

She smiles, laying her head on his chest.

"You don't speak Italian that much anymore," she says quietly.

"No one here really understands it," he replies, "no one besides you. It reminds me of home though, in a good way."

"Like our own secret language," she laughs, " _nessun altro sa cosa stiamo dicendo_."

Race laughs as well, putting his arm around her shoulders. They're quiet for a while, and then he speaks again.

"I thought they'd go away by now," he whispers, "it's been three years, I hate that he's still plaguing me even though we left so long ago."

"S'okay," she says, "you've got me, nothing can hurt you while I'm around, _lo prometto_."

They lay together, Y/N listening to his heartbeat mixed with the quiet rain in the background.

"Run away with me."

She lifts her head up, staring at him in confusion. 

"What do you mean?" She asks, bewilderment on her face. "What are you trying to escape from now?"

"Nothing," he says, "I don't means it in the literal sense I mean..." he sighs, squeezing his eyes shut, "run away with me, in life. _Non ha senso_."

"Antonio," she speaks slowly, "what are you trying to say?"

" _Penso di essere innamorato di te_."

"You..." she lets out a breath, eyes widening, " _dio mio_."

Race practically shoots out of the cot, frantically running a hand through his hair in anxiety.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he mutters, shaking his head, "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry."

"No I," she grabs his wrist, pulling him back to face her, "don't go, _per favore_...we need to talk." 

"If you're gonna freak out on me I really don't need to hear it," he whispers, eyes downcast, "you can just tell me that you don't feel the same. I'll respect that."

"No that's not," she sighs, shaking her head, "that's not what I'm trying to say, _gesù_ , can we please just talk about this?"

Race finally looks up, and he sits down on the bed next to her. 

"I don't want to ruin anything," he whispers, "you're the best thing in my life, _tesoro mio_ , I can't lose you."

"You aren't gonna loose me," she shakes her head, placing a hand on his cheek, "we've been through so much together, Antonio, _il mio amore_ , if you were gonna lose me it would've happened when you asked me to run away to New York when we were thirteen."

Race laughs a bit, eyes sparkling.

"I'm glad you said yes," he says, "I don't think I'd be here without you."

"Someone's gotta keep you from doing something stupid and getting yourself killed," she jokes, nudging his side, "makes sense though, us falling for each other. Inevitable, really."

"You..." Race breaks into a smile that could rival the sun, " _sto sognando_ , you feel the same?"

"I think I have for a while," she admits, looking down at her hands, "you're the closest thing I have to family, Race, and you're the only person that has been good to me for my entire life. So yeah, I'm in love with you, and I think if we asked any of the boys they wouldn't be surprised to find out that we have feelings for each other."

Race opens and closes his mouth about three times before he finally speaks.

"I'm gonna kiss you now, okay?"

" _Va bene_."

**Author's Note:**

> dio mio - oh my god  
> vieni con me, per favore - come with me, please  
> Gesù - jesus  
> Significa molto per me. - it means a lot to me  
> Ti amo (anch'io.) - i love you (too)  
> Grazie - thank you  
> nessun altro sa cosa stiamo dicendo - nobody else knows what we're saying  
> lo prometto - i promise  
> Non ha senso - that doesn't make sense  
> Penso di essere innamorato di te - i think i'm in love with you  
> per favore - please  
> tesoro mio - sweetheart  
> il mio amore - my love  
> sto sognando - i'm dreaming  
> Va bene - okay


End file.
